A pitched rooftop of a building may be hazardous to workers performing work thereon, such as roofers, for example. In some cases, a worker performing work on the rooftop may slip on the pitched roof, causing the worker to slide down the roof and, in some cases, fall from the rooftop. Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide guardrails adjacent an edge of the rooftop to provide a barrier at the edge of the roof that may prevent the worker from falling from the rooftop.
Temporary guardrails may be constructed adjacent a rooftop with materials commonly found on a construction site, such as excess wood, for example. A platform is generally built adjacent the edge of the rooftop, and is braced against a wall supporting the rooftop. Spaced apart guardrail posts are connected to the platform and extend upwardly therefrom, and rails are extended between the guardrail posts to form a barrier adjacent the edge of the rooftop. A skid-guard, or kickplate, may be connected between the guardrail posts to provide a barrier adjacent the edge of the roof.
Although this type of guardrail system may be effective, installation may be expensive, time inefficient, and itself hazardous. More specifically, the guardrail system is generally installed after roof members have been elevated and connected to top portions of support walls. Installation of the guardrail system is performed at, or near, the elevation of the rooftop, before fall protection is provided. In other words, the installers may be working off of ladders, where fall protection, such as guardrails, has not yet been provided.
One example of a guardrail system for a pitched roof is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,398 to Bartholomew. The guardrail system includes a plurality of spaced apart rail support assemblies aligned along an edge of a pitched roof, and a plurality of rails extending between the support assemblies. Each of the rail support assemblies includes a hinged base that is anchored into the roof with a hook so that the base may be positioned on the rooftop.
This roofing system is typically used, however, during the installation of roofing material, or during repair of roofing material, i.e., after plywood has been placed over the roof members. Accordingly, since the roofing system is installed after the rooftop has been laid over the roof members, i.e., at the elevation of the rooftop, the installer is at risk for falling from the roof before the guardrail system is completely installed.
The Roof-Rail Company offers another type of guardrail system under the designation, “ROOF-RAIL Guardrail Brackets”. This type of guardrail system includes a bracket that is fastened to a spacer, which, in turn, is fastened to a building wall. Braces are then connected to the bracket to support a post socket. Posts and rails may then be constructed of wood material, and supported by the brackets fastened to the building wall.
A particularly advantageous guardrail system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,074 to Purvis et al. The temporary guardrail system includes an anchor bracket that is fastened into portions of a roof, and a plurality of modular portions that are connected to form the guardrail system. Again, this system is installed after the roof is installed.